Technique: Attacks & Counters from the Guard

Feb. 21 ~  Feb. 25  

This week at El Dorado Hills Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, we focused on three main attacks from the guard: Arm Lock, Omoplata, and Triangle. These three submissions are Jiu-Jitsu attacks that you have probably seen on television, and are very effective and applicable ways to submit your opponent. We also made the comparison of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu with the game of chess. Getting into certain positions in Jiu-Jitsu is much like laying out the chess board with your pieces in specific locations. In chess we recognize the layout with our eyes, but in Jiu-Jitsu we need to recognize it with our bodies. 

1. Armlock:

    Trap the arm ~ Step on hip to turn (same side as trapped arm) (Bodies should be     

     perpendicular) ~ Leg  on hip comes over the head 

    - Counter: Pull the arm out. (Rotation of the hips and shoulders)

2. Omoplata:

     Get bodies Parallel ~ Trap the far hip as you sit up ~ elevate hips 

    - Counter: Posture up to face partner (get back in the guard)

(Blue & Above): Attack Wrist 

3. Triangle:

     Swing free leg UP, OVER, and DOWN ~ Grab your ankle ~ Get perpendicular ~ Squeeze  

      knees

     - Counter: Elevate the head and create a bigger triangle

Seven move sequence:

Armlock ~ Pull arm out ~ Omoplata ~ posture up ~ Triangle ~ Posture & push ~ Armlock

Eliot Kelly 

www.edhbjj.com

"When you get someone into check and they move their piece on the board, 

you need recognize a change and find another way to get them into check."

Judo Seminar: Jeff Sato

Judo Seminar with 佐藤ジェフ(Jeff Sato)

Jeff throwing one of his opponents

As a lightweight Judo-ka, Jeff Sato brings a unique combination of Judo and Wrestling to help you learn position control, set ups, exciting throws, and more!

Date: March 1^st  2011

Location: West Coast Martial Arts El Dorado Hills

      1132 Suncast Lane El Dorado Hills, CA 95762

Contact: Eliot Kelly 916-595-4064

Time: 6:30pm~8:30pm

Cost:      Pre-registration by 2/26: $40

                   Registration after 2/27: $60

Attire: Any type of gi. Preferably Judo or Jiu-Jitsu

(A few gi’s will be available to rent for the night)

Judo Accolades:

  - Olympic Trials Qualifier

  - 7x Jr. National Champion

  - High School National Champion

  - Jr. Pan American Games Bronze Medalist

  - 2x Jr. International Open Champion (3x Finalist)

  - Ranked 3rd in the U.S.A. in the 2008 Olympic Year

  - Sr. National Bronze Medalist during 2008 Olympic Year

  - Olympic Training Center Athlete  (Colorado Springs)

Wrestling Accolades: 

  - 3x All Ivy League

  - Sr. National All-American

  - 3x CA Open State Champion

  - 3x Fila Jr. CA State Champion

  - 4x University National All-American

  - 2x Division 1 NCAA National Qualifier

  - 3x NCAA EIWA Conference Place winner 

  - 2x NY State Collegiate Champion (3x Finalist)

Eliot Kelly 

www.edhbjj.com 

"We can all learn something about ourselves from the path of Judo." 

Technique: Passes, Attacks & Sweeps from the Open Guard

2/7/2011 ~ 2/11/2011

This week at Cia Paulista El Dorado Hills Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu we focused on different possibilities from the Open Guard. Sometimes it is easy to feel out of control in the Open Guard because you do not have your partner locked tight inside your guard. However, the same is true for your partner. The fact that there is a lot of space for things to move means both you are able to do move and use vast array of different attacks. Keep this in mind as you train and develop your Open Guard.

Review: From the feet
  - Over-under hip throw
  - Far hip control & wrist control to the hip throw

Passing the Guard
Stand up to break/open the guard (watch your balance, use your grips)
   1) Go into them to pass the guard
   2) Go back the other way, duck under the leg
   3) Turn knees to face one way, pass around the other direction


Sweeps when they stand up
(When both feel are close): Grab both heels, elevate hips into them
(When both feet are back & head is down): Keep grips on sleeves, elevate body by stepping on hips
     1) From elevated position: Roll straight over the  head to the mount
     2) From elevated position: take one foot off, allow the body to fall into an arm bar
     3) From elevated position: take one foot off, allow the body to fall all the way to take the back
(When one foot is close): Grab heel and same side sleeve, one foot push on hip other foot sweep far leg

Eliot Kelly

www.edhbjj.com

Learn Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu!  

Jiu-Jitsu in UFC 126

2/5/2011


      On Saturday night the McNeil family hosted a UFC 126 Party at their house to watch some great match ups! Many familiar faces from El Dorado Hills Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu showed up to eat some good food, hang out, and watch the fights. The night ended with a championship fight between Anderson Silva and Vitor Belfort. Although there was very little Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu in the actual championships fight (a 1st round front-kick knock out by Anderson Silva), the fights leading up to the championship bout displayed a great deal of takedowns, ground grappling, and submission attempts.
      We will be breaking down some of the technical elements in our no-gi Tuesday practice to see what happened in those matches where submission attempts were almost made or finished successfully.  Thanks to the popularity of MMA or Mixed Martial Arts, we get an opportunity to see some of the most elite athletes display variations of the technique we actually practice in our dojo. For those who may not understand the difference between MMA and BJJ, it is important to know that brazilian Jiu-Jitsu or grappling is everything but the striking (kicking/punching/hitting) in MMA. More importantly, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is founded on the principals that you will be able to subdue an assailant without the need to exchange blows or hits to the body. Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is definitely a necessary training element to compete in MMA or the UFC, but you don't have to be an MMA fighter to do Brazilian Jiujitsu. Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu offers a great outlet for those who are interested in staying active, wanting to learn something new and physical, or people who want to be a weekend warrior and compete in a local Jiu-Jitsu tournament. 
     Let's also keep in mind that watching MMA can be great way to cross-train! It's a great time to look for possible submission attempts, bring awareness to body positioning, and how grappling can neutralize those potential blows leading to knockouts. If you are looking for an edge to improve your Jiu-Jitsu game, watching some MMA might offer you some insight into attacks from various positions, and a better understanding of what you body is capable of doing. 

Eliot Kelly 

www.edhbjj.com

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu for Everyone 

"Jiu-Jitsu is not just for MMA fighters, it's for everyone that is pursuing a healthy and active lifestyle. "

Abu Dhabi Pro Trials in Las Vegas

           

January 28th/29th, 2011

The Venue: Sports Complex in Las Vegas, NV

No-gi division: Absolute (all weights combined)

        This weekend I traveled to Las Vegas to compete in the Abu Dhabi Pro Trials. The tournament was held in The Sports Complex right off the Las Vegas Boulevard Strip and competitors from all over the country gathered to battle for the all-expenses-paid trip to Abu Dhabi in the UAE. Multiple World Champions were there competing, and although the tournament could have been better organized, it was a great opportunity to compete against the best of the best in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. 
     My competition started off with the Absolute brown/black gi division. The grand prize for winning the division was a $4,000 prize. I had a come from behind victory in my first round match against a black belt and lost a good match to the eventual finalist of the tournament Antonio Braga Neto. Even though I lost this match, it left a big impression on my thoughts about competition and overcoming adversity. Although it's hard to explain, I feel like I was able to knock down a big barrier and overcome exhaustion while fighting through to finish a tough match. 

No-gi division: Below 202lbs

         Exhausted after my match in the Absolute division, I lost a close one in my first match of the gi weight division. (I didn't realize why my leg was hurting so bad until after this match. Braga Neto had tried to foot-sweep me so many times to the point where it felt like my entire shin was bruised/dead-legged. I'm still feeling it in my leg after a week since the competition.)

          In the no-gi weight division, I was able to finish with some better results. I won a close semi-final match and after scouting my opponent I was able to go in with a good game plan and finish the match early. In the no-gi Absolute division, I won a high scoring qtr. finals match, but fell short in the semi-finals to Caio Terra(a rooster weight World Champion). Our match reminded me of the time when I first started Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. One of the instructors at our sister school in Japan probably weighted 135 lbs on a good day, but his technique was so incredible he would climb around me on the mat and manage to get my back or lock up around my leg. Thanks to his great teaching, by the time I was leaving Japan our practice sessions went a lot better in my favor. Going agains Caio felt the exact same except he was way faster! My loss to him just reinforces in my mind that Jiu-Jitsu is great for those of all sizes, and anyone with an impressive technical game has the chance to win! 

Eliot Kelly 

www.edhbjj.com
 Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu with Tradition

"No one is forced to compete, but the cool thing about Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is that you are grouped by age, weight,and belt rank."

Technique: Turtle Position

1/31/2011 ~ 2/4/2011
    
       This week in El Dorado Hills, we focused on a modified arm-drag takedown and attacking the turtle position. The important thing to remember is to maintain your balance while trying to open up your opponent. If you are able to open your partner up and trap one of your partners limbs, you are well on your way to getting a submission. 
        The arm-drag can be a very effective attack from the feet. Let's use it to our advantage to help us get an angle on our partner and secure a solid takedown. Unlike the typical arm-drag offense we are used to, don't forget this modified arm-drag requires you to get hip to hip and face the same direction as your partner as you shovel them down to the mat.  


Takedown:
- Partner cross grips: Secure the arm to the chest, reach for the far back pocket (get hip to hip). Shovel partner down to the mat.
- Modified arm drag: Post on elbow & wrist grab with thumb out. Elbow hand goes for the arm drag, wrist hand reach for the far back pocket (get hip to hip). Shovel partner down to the mat.

(There is also the option of snaking your leg around their leg, we did this during no-gi)

- Sprawl: Get your legs back and hips/stomach down and in. (Very important to arch your back/look up to the ceiling)

Submissions:
- Clock choke: Walk around the body leading with the hips, keep far wrist anchored. 
- Off to the side, rear naked choke (leg wrapped around their leg): 1st secure the arm around the neck. Slide your body forward trapping the head between your shoulder and elbow. Lock up the choke.
Partner grabs between your leg:

(You can also set up and force your leg around your partners arm from the Sprawl)

- Roll through omoplata: look away from your partner and roll over. Keep the arm trapped. Elevate hips, bring knees back. 
- Arm bar: Trap the arm and extend the legs while pressing down with your hips on the back of the shoulder. 
- Walk arm over to Americana: Extend their arm and circle it over all the way to side control. Keep one arm trapped with your legs, attack the other arm with both of your arms. 
- Crucifix Choke: Keep one arm trapped with the legs, trap the wrist with one arm, attack the neck with the free arm.

Eliot Kelly 

www.edhbjj.com
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu in El Dorado Hills, CA 

"At the end of every month you should know something new about Jiu-Jitsu, if not you've missed too many training sessions!"